Italy’s Best Golf Resorts, Matched to the Kind of Mediterranean Trip You Want

Italy rewards golfers who treat the golf as one part of the day. A morning round is followed by a long lunch, an afternoon by a pool or in a hill town, and dinner that runs past nine. Choosing the best golf resorts in Italy therefore starts with the kind of trip you want, because the regions differ more than the courses do.

This guide sorts the options by region and pace. Pick the setting that appeals first, then narrow to a resort.

Why Italy suits a golf trip built around more than the golf

Italian golf is generally less concentrated than a links trip to Scotland or Ireland. Courses sit inside wine country, along coastlines and near lakes, and the best resort stays are built around the setting as much as the fairways. Many golfers over 40 find that suits them: a round or two a day, with the rest of the day left for something else.

That shapes how you should plan. A resort that is good for golf but isolated from food, scenery and culture will feel thin over a week. One with good golf and a strong sense of place makes the whole trip better, including the days you do not play.

The regions below cover the four main trip styles: Tuscan countryside, Sardinian coast, Sicilian seaside, and Rome and the lakes.

Tuscany: rolling countryside, long lunches and resort golf you can walk away from

Tuscany suits golfers who want the landscape of the postcard and a base that works for a non-golfing partner. The golf tends to be parkland, set among hills, olive groves and vineyards, and it is usually less physically demanding than a coastal course in strong wind.

Resorts here are often built around a restored estate or village. Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, a hilltop estate in the Montaione area, is a well-known example of the style: golf on site, with accommodation in a former medieval village setting. Check current facilities and course details with your booking partner before you commit, since resort offerings change.

Tuscany works best for:

• Couples or groups where not everyone plays every day
• Golfers who want wine, regional food and day trips to Florence, Siena or smaller hill towns
• Travelers who prefer a drive of a few minutes to the first tee rather than a full morning of transfers

The trade-off is distance between courses. If you want to play a different course every day, Tuscany needs more driving than a compact coastal region, so a single-base trip with one or two outside rounds usually works better than a tour.

Sardinia: coastal golf and a beach-resort pace

Sardinia is the choice when you want golf and a beach holiday in the same week. The island’s northeast coast, around Costa Smeralda and Porto Cervo, is known for premium hotels, marinas and Pevero Golf Club, one of the island’s best-known courses. In the south, near Cagliari, Is Molas in the Pula area is another established name.

The pace is slower and more resort-centered than on the mainland. Mornings suit golf, and afternoons suit the sea. Dinner is often at the hotel or a short transfer away.

Sardinia suits golfers who:

• Want sea views and water on or near the course
• Are traveling with family or a partner who prefers a beach to a museum
• Would rather unpack once and stay put

Two cautions apply. The island is large, and the north and south coasts are far apart, so choose one coast rather than trying both. And the premium resort areas are seasonal, so confirm that the hotel, restaurants and course are fully open for your dates.

Sicily: golf with the sea, the food and the history close by

Sicily gives the most cultural variety of any Italian golf region. Greek temples, baroque towns, markets and a distinct regional cuisine are all within reach of the resorts, and the seafood and local produce are a reason to go in themselves.

Verdura Resort, near Sciacca on the south-west coast, is the best-known golf resort on the island. It combines golf with a seaside hotel and spa, and it is within reach of Agrigento’s ancient sites. On the east side, Il Picciolo near Mount Etna offers golf in a volcanic setting, though it is a different style of stay from a large seaside resort.

Sicily suits golfers who:

• Want history and food to carry as much weight as the golf
• Are comfortable with a slightly less polished, more characterful style of travel
• Plan to spend a few days on sightseeing between rounds

Summer heat in the south can be strong, so tee times in the early morning matter in the warmer months. Spring and autumn generally give more comfortable conditions for playing a full round.

Rome and the Italian lakes: championship golf with a city or lakeside stay attached

Rome and the northern lakes appeal to golfers who want strong golf attached to an easy, city-based or lakeside stay.

Near Rome, Marco Simone Golf and Country Club hosted the 2023 Ryder Cup, which makes it a draw for golfers who follow the professional game. Access to the course depends on its current visitor policy, so confirm what is available to guests before you build a trip around it. Other clubs around the capital offer rounds that fit into a few days of sightseeing, with the city itself providing the evenings.

In the north, the lake district around Como and Maggiore pairs golf with scenery, boat trips and lakeside towns. Villa d’Este Golf Club, at Montorfano near Lake Como, is a long-established name in the area. A lakes trip tends to be quieter and more scenic than a Rome stay, with a calmer feel in the evenings.

This region suits golfers who:

• Want to combine a city break and a few rounds
• Prefer to fly into a major airport and have simple transfers
• Care about the setting of the hotel as much as the course

How Italy compares with a Spain or Portugal golf trip

Spain and Portugal are built for golf. Large resort clusters, reliable weather over long seasons and many courses within a short drive make them easy to plan. If you want several rounds in a row with little logistics, our guides to the best golf resorts on the Costa del Sol and the Algarve show how well that format works.

Italy is different in three ways:

• Course density: Courses are more spread out, so you usually play fewer rounds and stay in one place longer.
• Food and hospitality: Meals are a bigger part of the day. Lunch can take two hours, and dinner often starts later than in northern Europe.
• Variety of settings: One country gives you hills, islands, volcanic coast and lakes, each with a different character.

A golfer who wants to play every day for a week may find Spain or Portugal a better fit. A golfer who wants three or four rounds spread across a week of other things will often prefer Italy.

What to check before you book: seasons, transfers, tee time access and half-board versus room only

A few practical points affect Italian trips more than they affect a Spain or Portugal trip.

Season. Spring and autumn are generally the most comfortable for playing, particularly in the south and on the islands. Summer can be hot, and some resorts and restaurants run on seasonal calendars. Confirm opening dates for the hotel, the course and the restaurants.

Transfers. Italian roads in hill country and on islands can be slow, and the nearest airport may be a long way from the resort. Check the transfer time from the airport and whether the resort or your booking partner arranges it. Our piece on private transfer or rental car for golf in Portugal sets out the questions to ask, and most of them apply in Italy too.

Tee time access. Some Italian clubs are private or semi-private, and visitor access can depend on the club’s policy, your handicap or a booking through the resort. Ask whether tee times are guaranteed with your package, and whether a handicap certificate is required.

Half-board or room only. Half-board is convenient at an isolated resort where dinner options are limited. In a town or city, room only usually gives you more freedom to eat out, which in Italy is a large part of the point.

Buggies and walking. Hilly courses can be tiring. Ask whether buggies are included and whether the terrain suits walking.

Which resort for which golfer: a short matching guide by trip style, group and budget

Use this as a starting point and confirm current details with your booking partner.

• Couples who want countryside and food: Tuscany, with a resort such as Castelfalfi as a single base.
• Families or beach-minded partners: Sardinia, choosing either the Costa Smeralda area or the Cagliari side.
• Golfers who want history and regional cooking: Sicily, with Verdura on the south-west coast as the polished option.
• Fans of the professional game, or city lovers: Rome, checking access to Marco Simone before you plan around it.
• Quiet, scenic stays: The lakes, with a club such as Villa d’Este nearby.
• Groups of friends who want maximum golf: Consider Spain or Portugal first, or choose Italy and accept fewer rounds.

On budget, the premium coastal resorts in Sardinia and Sicily generally sit at the higher end, while inland Tuscany and the lakes offer more variety. Prices change with season, so compare packages for your dates rather than relying on general ranges.

Plan your Italian golf trip

Compare Italian golf resorts, packages and tee times through our booking partners, then check availability for your dates.